Sprinkler with resistance motor



1,642,910 Sept 1927' w. VAN E. THOMPSON SPRINKLER WITH RESISTANCE MQTOR Filed May25, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheetl w ,Qv l E/V TOR W91. 75/? 1 17 E Flam/=5 o/v,

- B 41% MM ATKQRNE yv 4 hereinafter.

getented Sept. 20, 1927.

UNITED STA TES AT NT OF I WALTER van a. "rnomrson, or nos- ANGELES, grammars-8mm 'ro 'rnom'rsoiv manunnc'ruamecomranr, or nos enemas. CALIFORNIA, A coaroan'rron or f 1 cams-01mm.

'- 'srnmxnnn wrrn nnsIs'rA Ncn moron.

vApplication fil ed May 25, 1925. Serial N0. 32,622; i

This invention relates to irrigationsprinklers and particularly to types having revolving nozzles. 1 H m Sprinklers having revolving nozzles are used extensively for watering lawns, .playgrounds and the like, due to theirability to irrigate comparatively large areas. A common type of sprinkler comprises a-body having a revolvable nozzle unit. This nozzle unit has radially extending arms at the outer end of. which are secured tangential nozzles. The water passes from the-bodythrough the nozzle unit, egressing fromthe tangential nozzles. There is a reaction of the water on the nozzle unit which causes it to revolve. Streams ofwater flow-from the nozzles and irrigate a circular area around the sprinkler. In the common type of sprinkler these nozzle units rotate comparatively fast, which rota- 2 tionproduces a whipping action which reduces the throw of water "and consequently reduces the area irrigated thereby.

It is an object of my. invention to provide a sprinkler of this character which willir rigate a very large circular area. My invention provides ,a nozzle unit which rotates very slowly andthtzrefore doesnot create any whipping tendency which restricts the streams ,ofwater from, the nozzleunit;

It is another object ,of my invention to novel means whereby -the nozzleunit is .permitted to rotate only at a 'slow speed.

Another objectjo my invention is to pro- 85 vide a sprinklerof funique construction and assembly which permitseasy "inspection, re-

pairs andreplacement of parts.

Other objects. and the particular advantages of my invention will be made evident Referring to v in "which a preferred'formpf my invention is-illustr'ated,

Fig. 1 is. anelev ati'onal sectional view through a sprinklerembodyi'ng the features .of my invention. Fig. 2 is a plan view of'Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a section taken -"on the line 8-8 of Fig. 1. i Fig. 4 is a ofF1g.1.- w v. Fig. ,5 is a section taken on, of Fig.- 1.

Fig. .6 is

section taken 5n the 1i... 4-4

at line 5-5 a fragmentary view of the lower provide in a sprinkler of this character a the two sheets. of drawings the mechanism. for'retarding rotation of a nozzle unit of my invention. 1 1 Fig. 7 1s a bottom plan view ofa rotor pro v ded by my invention. 1

With reference particularly to Fig.1, the 7 form of rny invention shown provides a shell 11 composed, of a cylindrical member 12 having an-upper head 13 and a lower-head 14 which are threaded respectively into the member 12 at 16"and;17.- A casing. 20 is extended around the shell 11,50 that a'cylindrlcal wall 21 thereof encloses the shell and so that an annular shoulder 22-engages-the upper head 13.- A radial wall, 231s formed at the. upper end of the wall 21 which has a ccntral cylindrical opening 24 therethrough. Resting on annpper annular. face 26 of the. lower head 141s a strainer 27 havinga multiplicity of openings 28 formed therein. 7 Water which is jsupplied to" the shell 11 thrpugh a pipe 30 threaded to the head 14 at 31 1s deprived of particles of foreign matter by the strainer 27. A sleeve v33. which fits snugly in the shell 11 is placed above the strainer 27 and an impeller plate 34 is placed in the shell 11 so that it rests on an upper. face of the sleeve 33. As clearly shown in Figs. 1, 5nd 6,-the impeller plate 34 has depressions 36 which form water passages 37. The-passages 37 are so constructed that waterflowing therethrough} is caused to flow in a direction asindicated hy-the arrow 38 of Fig. 6. A cylindrical spacer-4O is inserted in the shell 11 and rests above the impeller openings 46 provided therein. Extending upwardly from "the .peri heralpart of the radialwall 44"is a cylin rical wall 48. As clearly shown in Figs. 1 to 4 this cylindrical wall 48 is substantially smaller in diameter than the inner face of'the cylindrical member 12 of the shell 11, thus providin aspa'ce 49. The cover 43 has a radial wa 51, the periphery. of which engages the inner. face of. the member 12 and has openings 52 positioned in the outer annular area thereof which communicate with the space..49. ,The

55 part of my sprinkler showmg a. portion of radial wall-51 has an annular shoulder 54 a. to

whiehis engaged by an upper end of the cylindrical wall 48 of the cup-shaped memher 42. 'The cup-shaped member 42 and the cover 43v are secured together by screws 56 which thread into lugs .57fformed on the Extendingfrom an outer annular radial portion 65 of the web j63- are. tangential vanes 66. The rotor is secured on the lower end of a rotor shaft-68,,which' rotor shaft extends through a bearing 690ithe cup member 42.

The upper end of the" rotor shaft'68 extends inside th'e'box' and has-"a "gear 70 secured thereto which drives a-'gear"71 rotatably on ashaft 72, said-shaft 72 being supported in the radialrwalls 44jand 51 of the cup mom-gber42 andthe. coverAa-Th gear71 is formed integral with agear74, the gear-.74

- rotating' a gear 75 secured on thelower end '1 "of a drive shaft 76. This drive shaft 76 extends through a bearing 77 of the cover 43 as shown in Fig. 1. The box provides-a chamher for the chain of gears, just described,

7 I 3 which may be cant if desired.- 9

7 pins 78lwhi'ch have threaded ,pjortions79fi which threadthrough the upper head 13. The lower endsof the clamp p1ns78 engage .m'anner clamp-,"the parts-in the shell 11 1 ,tightiiy inplace.

The parts of m the shell 11 are c amped in place by clamp the cover 43 of the gear un1t41 and in this A rive member SOhaving a drive tongue 81is secured'on the upper end'of thefdrive shaft 76. The tongue 81- extends into a slot 82 formed in-a head 83 of atube; 84. The -"fQtube 84extends through an opening. 85 in I -a sleeve 86, the sleeve 86 "beingthreadedly 1 secured in an opening 87 formed in the upper ahead 13 'ofthe shell 11., A, shoulder 89 of ,thehead- 8,3 enga es an annular face 90 of the sleeve 86. :T e upper end of'the tube 84 is" rovided with a T 92 from which there ext-en arms-93, these arms extendingrm "dially' asshown': clearly in Fig. 2. The outer endsof'the arms are bent as shown at94 and support nozzlestt." -As clearly shown, in Fig. 2 thehozz'les. 95" extend in "a tan'-: j "gential directionwith respect to theaxisot .65

I j fWater'suppliedto the shell. 11v through the pipe 30 passing through thestrainer 27. The water passes through 'passa es 37.; a-nd the impeller plate rotation of the nozzle unit of m invention, which nozzle unit comprises t e' tube I 84 and the arms 93. 1 L i the sprinkler flows into 34, the water; eing directed in adirection indicated by the arrow 38 of Fig. 6. The

water passes" into the *r'otor'cha'mber' 60,

striking the vanes 66 of the rotor 60 as will i be described later.

packedwitha suitable lubri the 'rotorchamber SO'It-hrough openings 46 in the flange 45 passing through the space 49 and through the openings 52 in the cover 5.1. The water passes around the ear box ear unit. Water passes t rom the space a ovethegear unit 41 through an The water passes from opening 98 inthe tube84 and then passes through the arms- 93.

. Water flows from 'thenozzles 95 in "the direction" of extension of the nozzlesv which is tangential withrespect to the axis of rotation of the nozzle unit. By so directing streams of water," a reaction is" placed on the nozzle unit which causes it to rotate,"th1s being old'in the arty When. the'nozzle unit rotates, the drive shaft-7 6 is rotated through the drivemember 8l,thus rotating the gear 75. The gear 70 is rotated through the gears 74 and 71, thus rotating the rotor fshaft'69 which in' turn e revolves the rotor 61 the vanes 66' of therotor, offering resistance thereto. This opposition by the. water to The water as it passes through-the passages a 37 into the rotor chamber. 60 strikes against the rotation of the rotor greatly retards thefl there would be quiteva whipping tendency.

of the streams 'of-w'ater' flowing from the rotational 'speed'of the nozzle unit. With-{1 out the provision of the retarding 'means, invention located inside" nozzles 95 which would greatly reduce their i length and diminish thecircular area irrigated by thesprinkler. 4 By providing the retarding means, it is possibleto controlthe rotation of the nozzle-unit.

one to two revolutions per minute. When travellin so slowly, no whippingtendency is place on'the, streams of water flowing from the nozzles95 and the length of stream It is desired to have the nozzle unit rotate at a speed of or reach thereof is not aifect'edandtherefore a maximumcircular area maybe irrigated. The rate of speed at whlchthe nozzle unit rotates, of course, depends upon the ratio of rotation between the driveshaft and. the

rotor shaft 76 and 69, respectively. n'variation in pressure: in the' water will not affect the speed of rotation of the nozzle I a 'unit.; When thewater'pressure reduces, the I reaction on the nozzlefiunit is decreased; i also the opposing force againstthe rotor de- 7 creases 'proportlonately'wand therefore the resultant force rotating-the nozzle unit r mains the same.- 1 r From the foregoing description it will "be seen that the nozzle of my invention is very j partsat, which the nozzle unit rotates may i changed by varying the length of the arms 93 or by varying theratio of rotation betweenttltashafts 69 and T6. The simplicity I principle fo'fkthe employment of streams of unit.

water for'resisting the rotation of the nozzle I claim as my invention: 1. In a sprinkler, the combination of: a shell; a member for supplying water to said shell; a nozzle unit rotatably supported by said shell, said nozzle unit bein designed so that said nozzle unit is rotate when water passes therethrough; a rotorpositioned to be operated by said water; means insaid shell rotatably connecting said rotor with said nozzle unit whereby rotation of said nozzle unit is retarded; and a box enclosing'said last named means, said box having a substance therein, said box being located in said shell, the interior thereof having communicationwith the interior of said shell at two points, the water pressure at these points effecting a balance whereby water is prevented from entering said box.

3. In a sprinkler, the combination of: a

shell; a member for supplying water to saidv shell; a nozzle unit rotatably su ported by said shell, said nozzle unit being esign'ed so m' i,:invention is due essentially to the,

that said nozzle unit is rotated when water passes therethrough; a rotor positioned to be operated by said water; means in said shell ,rotatably connecting said'rotor with said nozzle unit whereby rotation of said nozzle unit is'retard'ed; a box enclosing said last named means; and a lubricant in said box, saidbdx bein located in said shell, the interior thereo having communication with e the interior of said s 11 at such points that a balanced water pressure occurs at said points whereby any tendency of lubricant to expel 1s opposed.

4. In a sprinkler, tl1e combination of: a shell; a member for supplying water tosaid shell; a nozzle unit rotatably supported by said shell, said nozzle unit being designed so that said nozzle unit is rotated when water passes therethrough; a rotor positioned to e operated by said water; means in said shell rotatably connecting said rotor with said nozzle unit whereby rotation of said nozzle unit is retarded, saidmeans including shafts; and a box enclosing said last named meansfsaid box being located in said shell, the interior thereof having bearing openings in whiohsaid shafts are journaled, the interior of said box communicating with the interior of said shell only where said shafts are journaled in said bearing openings, the

Water pressure at said bearing openings oeing thus equalized thereby opposing expulsion of lubricant from said box.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set I my hand at Los Angeles, California, this 18th day of May, 1925.

WALTER VAN E. THOMPSON. 

